title: The root barks of Morus alba and the flavonoid constituents inhibit airway inflammation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The root barks of Morus alba have been used in traditional medicine as an anti-inflammatory drug, especially for treating lung inflammatory disorders.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To find new alternative agents against airway inflammation and to establish the scientific rationale of the herbal medicine in clinical use, the root barks of Morus alba and its flavonoid constituents were examined for the first time for their pharmacological activity against lung inflammation.
  
  
  METHODS
  For in vivo evaluation, an animal model of lipopolysaccharide-induced airway inflammation in mice was used. An inhibitory action against the production of proinflammatory molecules in lung epithelial cells and lung macrophages was examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Against lipopolysaccharide-induced airway inflammation, the ethanol extract of the root barks of Morus alba clearly inhibited bronchitis-like symptoms, as determined by TNF-α production, inflammatory cells infiltration and histological observation at 200-400mg/kg/day by oral administration. In addition, Morus alba and their major flavonoid constituents including kuwanone E, kuwanone G and norartocarpanone significantly inhibited IL-6 production in lung epithelial cells (A549) and NO production in lung macrophages (MH-S).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Taken together, it is concluded that Morus alba and the major prenylated flavonoid constituents have a potential for new agents to control lung inflammation including bronchitis.
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Kangwon National University, Chunchon 200-701, South Korea.
authors.forename: Hun Jai
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: Hong-Guang
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Eun-Rhan
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Woo
authors.forename: Sang Kook
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Hyun Pyo
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002460:Cell Line; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D020834:Ethnopharmacology; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000276:immunology; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D016676:Macrophages, Alveolar / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D055670:Medicine, Korean Traditional; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D031625:Morus / Q000737:chemistry*; D024301:Plant Bark / Q000737:chemistry; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D005419:Flavonoids; D015850:Interleukin-6; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D010936:Plant Extracts
keywords: Bronchitis; Lung inflammation; Morus alba; Prenylated Flavonoid